By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Hanna has become a reliable source of talented soccer recruits for Our Lady of the Lake University during the last few years.
Recent Hanna soccer standouts who have gone on to fare well at the NAIA school in San Antonio include Angel De La Garza, Luis Flores, Tomas Flores and Humberto De La Garza.
Two additional Hanna players signed to play for OLLU this week. They are center midfielder Adrian Delgado and central defender Jorge Serna.
“Shane (Hurley, OLLU coach) looks forward to signing players from Hanna,” Golden Eagles coach Reyes Prado said. “He says Hanna players do so well on the field, and off the field they’re very good as students, too. Our guys are highly thought of by Shane.”
Hurley is a native of Harlingen who played soccer at Harlingen High and the University of Texas-Pan American before earning his college degree in the early 1990s. He just completed his eighth season as OLLU’s coach and consistently has signed players from the Rio Grande Valley, particularly Hanna, for his program.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be able to keep on playing in college, and keep on working hard,” said Delgado, a three-year starter who is 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds. “It’s an honor to go from Hanna to Our Lady of the Lake with my best friend Jorge.
“Since we went to state in 2013, it’s been an amazing experience to play here for Hanna,” Delgado added. “(Now) it’s great to have this chance to play in college, and I can’t wait to see my (former Hanna) teammates that are already up there.
“I just want to thank God and my parents (Pedro and Adah Delgado) for helping me get this opportunity.”
Each of the two players said he plans to major in kinesiology with the intention of one day becoming a physical therapist.
“I’m so proud of everything I’ve done and everything I’ve accomplished,” said Serna, a 6-2, 148-pounder and also a three-year starter. “First of all, I want to thank my parents (Jorge Sr. and Maria Serna) because they’re the ones who helped me through everything, and my coaches and teachers who have helped me throughout high school.
“I’m so happy that I’m going off to college and playing the sport that I love with my best friend next to me, so that’s even way better,” he added. “I’m super excited for it to start already.
“It’s amazing because we were there when our former teammates signed to play for Our Lady of the Lake, and back then Adrian and I said that one day hopefully it would be us signing. Thanks to our hard work and God, He let us have this opportunity. It just feels very good.”
Serna was named defensive player of the year in District 32-6A for the Eagles this season, and Delgado was an all-district and All-Valley first-team selection. Both were members of Hanna’s 2013 team that advanced to the Class 5A state final.
This season, the Eagles finished second in 32-6A with an 11-3 record and advanced three rounds in the playoffs.
Prado said OLLU is getting a pair of players with solid skills and plenty of experience.
“Adrian is very energetic,” the Hanna coach said. “He’s the person who will be there to recover the ball in the midfield. If there are any letdowns, he’ll cover them.
“Jorge is a very calm person back there (on defense),” Prado added. “He knows what to do with and without the ball. He was the brains of the defense for us.”
When asked what it’s like to see his players continue their soccer careers in college while pursuing their degrees, Prado said, “It’s just icing on the cake. It’s not only seeing them sign, but seeing them stay in school and graduate. It’s quite a reward (as a coach).”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.